Renegades
by KMZ173
Summary: A retold story of Assassin Creed Rogue 1751 a devastating year for a young female assassin named Nadia Jean-Baptiste. In just minutes her entire family was killed, their possessions destroyed, and their home gone. But tragedy followed the next and with just a manuscript, a bullet, and a man named Shay, Nadia's entire future had suddenly shifted when she became a renegade.
1. Genesis

Winter and conflict were at the foot of their doorstep. She could detect the artic scent of wind and snow approaching. The tip of her ochre brown nose cold from the temperature that seemed dropped each day.

A youthful woman of the name Nadia Jean-Baptiste was rested on a tree which was naked of its leaflets that the earth ground claimed for its own. Her dark yet luminous eyes looked around appreciating the nature surrounding her. Her gloved hand gripping the tree branch tighter than beforehand. She was a woman gifted in the arts of combat. Quick, agile, strong, and determination that could almost seem scary. The year was 1752 one whole year since the event. The earthquake the struck Haiti killing every single individual in her family, Including her loving mother. It shook her down to the essence of her bones. What had the people of her country done to deserve such a sentence? A country of tropical beauty yet the center of Caribbean slavery. Even so, it was her home and _nothing_ could replace home.

Yet tragedy had not yet neglected the young woman. Her life would take a radical 360 too quick and too subtle for the young assassin to detect at once. Its causes were simple: a book, a bullet, and a man named Shay Patrick Cormac.


	2. Chapter I

"Ya know, if you got off your ass we'd have more firewood."

The moderately strong Irish accent made the corner of her lips gripped into a smirk. She shook her head languidly as her eyes laid on murky brown ones that belonged to the one and only Shay Cormac. It sometimes surprised the woman how well they clicked. Perhaps it was the first time Shay saw the woman engage in training. She'd never forget how utterly surprised he looked as he watched her walk past him once she finished. Or maybe their cheekiness made them so congenial as friends. She considered him as close as like Adewale and for him like Liam.

"Course" He murmured with a roll of his eyes as he continued lifting the ax just to bring it down splitting a log into two.

A warm chuckle came from her mentor, Achilles, and her eyes left the Irishman to gaze at him. She saw his eyes were addressed to something past her and following it her head craned back to see two men one being Liam strolling towards them. Once her brain registered the other man's ebony skin and attire she leaped to her feet and waited for her turn to greet her other close friend.

"Achilles."Adewale greeted as he hugged said man

"It is so good to see you old friend." Achilles responded

Adewale turned to see the woman stare back at him. Once the two men released each other Nadia moved to pull the older man into an embrace.

"It's good to see you Ade." She whispered his barbed grey beard tickling and scratching the crook of her neck

"As I to you Nadia." He spoke and they let go

"How go things in the West Indies?"Achilles asked once he deemed suitable to speak

Nadia was also curious as her mind shuffled onto upsetting territory. News of the tragedy was only a year's memory but it felt as if she just learned about it yesterday. Her mother, cousins, aunts, and uncles all gone in minutes buried under the debris of homes, shops, and such. Their bodies were never recovered and their possessions destroyed. The only thing Adewale did bring back, was a handmade bracelet of leather and wooden beads. Her mother loved to make jewelry and it rested on her left wrist and hadn't been moved since the day she received it.

"Poorly I'm afraid," Adewale responded grimly. Nadia's heart dropped.

The two men stayed in respectful silence for a brief moment until Achilles spoke again.

"You're countenance tells me we should discuss things inside."Achilles said

Nadia couldn't bear the bad news going on in Haiti so she stepped back, a notion that she wanted no part in their discussion. Achilles put a supportive and leading hand on Adewale's shoulder and they walked past her and shay toward the house. The Irishman bumped her arm still holding the ax over his shoulder.

"Who's your friend?" He asked

"Adewale." She returned, "He's a remarkable guy. He was a slave and freed himself and hundreds in the West Indies."

"That man is a living incarnation of the Creed," Liam spoke with regard.

Nadia could recall the many stories Adewale relaid to her about his adventures of being a quartermaster for an infamous pirate, Edward Kenway. The man experienced a life full of near-death, action, and a slight ounce of passion. She always wanted a life like that-well-maybe excluding the romance part. She never wanted one minute of tedium ever. The Brotherhood was perfect to satisfy such a craving.

"You two join me for some practice." He said punching shay's shoulder as a sign to follow him

"I-uh-have something to do." Nadia said, " I'll meet you two there."

Liam shrugged and strolled off down the dirt path toward the training grounds. Shay gave her a questioning look but she didn't give him a response. Instead, she turned on her heel and went toward the house. She knew shay followed after her for she heard steps echoing her's. She crouched in vegetation feet away from the two men.

"It was terrible Achilles." She heard Adewale say, "The grounds shook, and the waves of the ocean crashed over port-au-prince."

Where she was born and grew up. She licked her lips and immediately flickered back tears before they could even form and depart.

"How many were lost?" Achilles questioned his voice sincerely

"Thousands."Adewale answered a creak meaning he shifted in his seat,"No family left untouched. Each day I mourn for Nadia."

"I hate bringing up such matters at a time such as this but did Mackandal's man complete his task before the earthquake hit?"

"That I do not know."Adewale answered, "Vendredi is still not found. However, he was a strong marron, one of Mackandal's best students."

"And what of the artifact?"

"Stolen," Adewale sighed, "The Templars took advantage of the situation and broke in. They seized both the precursor box and manuscript. We gave chase at sea but lost their trail I'm afraid."

Nadia was not interested after that and she quickly crept away. Once they were far from eavesdropping distance shay put an arm around her shoulders in comfort. She was the first to know of the earthquake and perhaps this was Shay's first time hearing about it.

"I'm sorry Nadi-I know how it feels to lose family."

"She's in a better place trust me."She replied, "They all are, up there with God."

She was quite reluctant in religion but her family was devoted. They prayed from they woke up, dinner, and when they went to sleep. They went to _legliz_ or church every Sunday wearing their best attire. She may still be questioning the root of Christianity but she did believe there was a God up there- One that kept her alive from moments where she should have died.

Transitioning from the mood, she shoved shay playfully with her shoulder. Removing his arm she started backing away toward the direction of the grounds.

"Race you _ti zozo_ , that is, if you have gotten any faster."She teased, "But I doubt it."

Since the day Nadia met with Shay she's been calling him small _dick_ for years afterward. Shay has yet to find out its meaning but still, under the impression, it was a nickname especially given to him which is why he beamed.

"Woman of such little faith" He playfully sighed but concluded with a heartfelt chuckle, "Well let's see."

Shay snapped into a full sprint and Nadia profaned loudly in her mother tongue. She sprinted after him gaining on his tail very soon. Shay looked back smiling cheekily at the woman. Nadia glared and pushed faster and shay turned forward and barged into the training grounds past a woman with the name of Hope who sat on a fallen log.

Nadia slowed down to a jog than to a stop glaring at the Irishman who looked quite proud of himself.

"You two are late."Hope quipped

"Hope." Shay greeted with open arms, "What'd we miss? I was quite busy kicking someone's arse."

"Not even" Nadia snapped

"Well, you missed the first hour of training for one." The native American with the title of Kesegowaase.

"We're always training so that's nothing new." Nadia reasoned swiping the cup of tea shay had poured for himself

"And it will continue." Kesegowaase sternly said shooting her a sharp look

Hope rolled her eyes with a sigh, "Don't waste your breath. Shay abhors training as cats with leashes. Nadia is frankly a lost cause."

Shay barked out a laugh when Nadia spluttered out the hot liquid in surprised. Her eyes swiveled to the woman who had walked between the two with a friendly hand on the shoulder.

"I was only kidding."Hope relaxed, "You two have much potential but you lack discipline." She looked toward shay, "And you lack respect."

Hope's eyes went toward her and Nadia sucked her teeth a typical habit of her's. Most around her weren't aware, except Adewale and Achilles, that this was a sign of annoyance and was considered disrespectful to do toward others.

"Alright, then what'll you have us do this time around?" Shay requested

Liam shot Hope a look of impress, "Well played. Let's go you two we're going to continue to learn how to shoot straight and true."

Nadia kicked swiftly kicked shay's tibia and walked past him innocently. However, her lips once again pulled into a smirk when she heard the man mutter a, "Damn woman." beneath his breath.


End file.
